Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has called on his squad to show their true worth when they face big spending Tottenham at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon in the north London derby.
Rivals Spurs unlike Arsenal have gone crazy in the transfer market this summer spending over £100 million on new players that include Paulinho, Etienne Capoue, Nacer Chadli and £26million striker Roberto Soldado from La Liga side Valencia.
The club just this week has completed the signing of Romanian defender Vlad Chiriches from Steaua Bucharest, attacker Erik Lamela from Roma, and just today announced the signing of Christian Eriksen from Ajax.
Arsenal meanwhile has completed two free transfers of French U-21 striker Yaya Sanogo and midfielder Mathieu Flamini.
Wenger unfazed by his lack of signings believes that his team can carry on the way they have been playing following wins over Fulham and Fenerbahce, and will be more than a match for big spending Spurs.
“I can understand that it is very interesting for people to read the newspapers and see who goes in and out, but there is only one thing that matters if you really love football – and that is what happens on the pitch,” said Wenger.
“We have a way to play, good players and let’s focus on that.
“It’s a good opportunity for us to show our strengths against Tottenham because they have as well strengthened their team.
“I am confident that we will have a very good performance.”
The 63-year-old manager is not jealous of Tottenham’s spending spree and thinks that it could in fact have a negative effect on the team.
“I know all the players they have bought. For the rest, we will see how well they integrate and how well they will do. It is very difficult to predict that.”
“They try very hard (to bridge the gap) of course, that is normal. In our job, there is always a technical risk when you buy more than three players because you unbalance a little bit the stability of your squad.
“I know that in England it is very well seen, but it is always difficult when you bring so many players in, how everybody will do to predict that.”
Wenger says that he will never be bullied into paying more than he believes a player is worth, and will not panic buy before Monday night’s deadline.
“We have financial potential, I wouldn’t deny that, but we will decide still to pay the right price,” he added.
Continuing: “I think about does my squad have a chance to fight for the Premier League or not. We don’t compare to Spurs especially.
“Last year, if you had looked at Chelsea’s squad at the start of last year, would you have said they had a squad to fight for the Premier League last year? Yes.
“However, they finished two points ahead of us and it is in the last game that it (third place) has been decided.
“So you let people talk and you try to analyse the quality of the game you have.
“I just can say one thing, in the last six months we have lost one game.”
